diff --git a/frontend/src/desktop/menu.ts b/frontend/src/desktop/menu.ts
index 97355647..f677163a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/desktop/menu.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/desktop/menu.ts
@@ -224,6 +224,22 @@ function newProject(): void {
 
   // Clear the compile output panel so old build logs don't carry over.
   compileLogs.clear();
+
+  // Leave whatever project URL we were on: staying there would reload the
+  // OLD project over this fresh workspace on refresh. replaceState (not
+  // navigateTo's pushState) so the back button can't pop to the stale
+  // project URL either; the popstate dispatch lets React Router render
+  // the plain editor route.
+  const cur = window.location.pathname;
+  const localeMatch = cur.match(/^\/([a-z]{2}(?:-[a-z]{2})?)\b/);
+  const prefix = localeMatch && LOCALES.includes(localeMatch[1] as Locale)
+    ? `/${localeMatch[1]}`
+    : '';
+  const editorPath = `${prefix}/editor`;
+  if (cur !== editorPath) {
+    window.history.replaceState(null, '', editorPath);
+    window.dispatchEvent(new PopStateEvent('popstate'));
+  }
 }
 
 async function checkForUpdates(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/EditorPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/EditorPage.tsx
index c614d4e4..0e2d00b4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/EditorPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/EditorPage.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import React, { useRef, useState, useCallback, useEffect, lazy, Suspense } from
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
 import { startSimulation } from '../simulation/spice/start';
 import { useSEO } from '../utils/useSEO';
+import { getLocaleFromPath, localizedPath } from '../i18n/path';
 import { restoreStashedWorkspace } from '../utils/workspaceDraft';
 import { CodeEditor } from '../components/editor/CodeEditor';
 import { EditorToolbar } from '../components/editor/EditorToolbar';
@@ -219,6 +220,16 @@ export const EditorPage: React.FC = () => {
       .getState()
       .addBoard('arduino-uno', DEFAULT_BOARD_POSITION.x, DEFAULT_BOARD_POSITION.y);
     useSimulatorStore.getState().setActiveBoardId(newId);
+    // The workspace no longer belongs to whatever project URL we were on —
+    // leaving it would silently reload the OLD project over this fresh
+    // workspace on refresh (and via the back button). replaceState, not
+    // pushState: a back-entry pointing at the stale project URL would
+    // remount the project route and cause exactly that reload.
+    const locale = getLocaleFromPath(window.location.pathname);
+    const editorPath = localizedPath('/editor', locale);
+    if (window.location.pathname !== editorPath) {
+      window.history.replaceState(null, '', editorPath);
+    }
   }, [t]);
 
   // Track mobile breakpoint
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/vlxFile.ts b/frontend/src/utils/vlxFile.ts
index f050749d..c6cf5f92 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/vlxFile.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/vlxFile.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import type { Component } from '../types/component';
 import type { Wire } from '../types/wire';
 import { useEditorStore, chipFileGroupId } from '../store/useEditorStore';
 import { useSimulatorStore } from '../store/useSimulatorStore';
+import { useProjectStore } from '../store/useProjectStore';
 
 const VLX_FORMAT = 'velxio-project';
 const VLX_VERSION = 1;
@@ -228,6 +229,12 @@ export async function parseVlxFile(file: File): Promise<VlxPayload> {
  */
 export async function importVlxFile(file: File): Promise<VlxPayload> {
   const payload = await parseVlxFile(file);
+  // CRITICAL — sever the current project identity BEFORE mutating any store
+  // (same guard as loadExample.ts). With a saved project open, the auto-save
+  // hook would otherwise see the imported content as dirty edits on the OLD
+  // projectId and silently PUT the .vlx contents over the user's saved
+  // project (and push the clobber to GitHub when the project is linked).
+  useProjectStore.getState().clearCurrentProject();
   useSimulatorStore.getState().loadProjectState({
     boards: payload.boards as unknown as BoardInstance[],
     fileGroups: payload.fileGroups,